But Wasn’t the Bible Written by Man?

Susan Mutch

Has God given man a revelation? Has He spoken? I say, unquestionably, yes. And this word to us is contained in the books of the Bible. This being the case, it is no surprise that Satan levels his attacks against its veracity.

Divine Inspiration

“But,” says the skeptic, “the Bible was written by men.” The Bible was penned by men, 40 of them, separated over a period of about 1,500 years. They tell of the beginning of the world and both the history and the future of man, and these witnesses all agree! And when Jesus lived upon this earth about 2,000 years ago, He referred to what some of those men said, declaring, “It is written.” He referred to their writings as being authoritative and called it scripture.

The books of the Bible are no ordinary writings of man, but were written with divine inspiration from God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Tim. 3:16.

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Pet. 1:21.

Historical Accuracy

The Bible is historically reliable and archaeology confirms it.

At one time, outside of the Bible accounts, nothing was known of the Hittites (who would have interacted with biblical figures as early as Abraham and as late as Solomon). Therefore, critics were quick to discredit the Bible. But ample archaeological findings in the late 19th century hushed their unbelieving voices.

Several years back, a non-Christian archaeologist in Jerusalem told some in our group that the most reliable sources for archaeologists were the Bible and Josephus.

Noted archaeologist Nelson Glueck wrote, “As a matter of fact, however, it may be clearly stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible.” (Nelson Glueck, Rivers in the Desert, 136, 173)

William Ramsay, regarded as a great archaeologist, was initially skeptical about the accuracy of the Book of Acts, until his research revealed the meticulous accuracy of its historical details. He concluded that: “Luke is a historian of the first rank…this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.” (More Than a Carpenter, p. 43-44)

Textual Attestation

“There is no body of ancient literature in the world which enjoys such a wealth of good textual attestation as the New Testament.” Professor F. Bruce. Numbers of ancient documents have copies of copies, yet they have much less corroboration than has the Bible. There are more than 5,000 manuscripts of the Bible catalogued today. Next to the New Testament, Homer’s Iliad has the greatest amount of manuscript testimony–fewer than 650 Greek manuscripts, and they are from the 2nd and 3rd century and later, though Homer composed it in 800 BC–a tremendous gap of time between the original and the copies! Modern scholars are not reluctant to accept other ancient copies as authentic, yet the gap between them and the originals are centuries, while with the Bible it is but generations. (Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ, p. 59-62)

“In no other case is the interval of time between the composition of the book and the date of the earliest manuscripts so short as in that of the New Testament.” (Sir Frederic Kenyon, former director of the British Museum)

Prophecies Fulfilled

Fulfilled prophecy testifies to the divine inspiration of the Bible. Who but God can record history before it happens, and who but His prophets could write it? They uttered prophecies that were sometimes hundreds of years yet future, even the rise and fall of kingdoms. They all came to pass. It is estimated that in Daniel 11 alone, there are 135 prophecies detailing conflicts between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids and also of the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes and his invasion of Israel. So precise are the political prophecies in this chapter that some skeptics insist they could not have been written in Daniel’s time.

And, of course, we have the many prophecies of Christ at His first coming, then later, Jesus’ own prediction of His death and resurrection and also the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70.

Paul spoke of the great falling away that would follow his time, and John related the entire history of the Gospel Day with the false and deceptive systems of religion that would arise and fight the true church. His end time prophecies are currently being fulfilled, bringing us ever nearer to the prophesied second coming of Jesus Christ to call this world into Final Judgment. This will come to pass!

Words of Life

The Bible is a divine revelation to man, proclaiming how sin and suffering came into the world and how the God of heaven, out of love for fallen man, came down to give Himself as a sacrifice to deliver him from his sinful condition.

It is a message of love and hope, and it reveals that man is God’s special creation–not the result of a chance coalition of atoms!

It is the world’s best-selling and most widely distributed book, and is read, studied and quoted by more people than any other book. It has impacted the world and dramatically changed and empowered lives.

Many are quick to blindly denounce the Bible, but as another writer expressed, history, prophecy, science, and Christ Himself all stand as witnesses to its verity. Honest scholars will agree, while those willingly ignorant refuse to.

Time magazine was right when it said, “Atheists can’t wait to prove the whole thing is a fairy tale.” Their waiting will be futile. Try as they might, the Bible withstands all the vilification of its enemies.

Erwin Lutzer rightly declared, “Perhaps the reason for the Bible’s longevity can be found not in the men who wrote it, but in the God who inspired it.”